


A Young Hero

by breeeliss



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir Appreciation, Chat Noir Zine, Father/Son Moment Kind of Sort of Not Really But Still, Gabriel being only sort of a jerk (a miracle), Gen, Gen Fic, heart to heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 21:56:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11170869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breeeliss/pseuds/breeeliss
Summary: “Your job is dangerous,” Gabriel explained. “There are other more important things to be doing than risking one’s life.”“Others wouldn't agree,” Chat Noir scowled. "I find risking my life for the sake of people who need me the most important thing I could be doing. Maybe you should respect that opinion as opposed to chalking it up as some childish delusion.”A heart to heart between a young hero and his fatherSubmission for theMeowraculous Chat Noir Zine





	A Young Hero

**Author's Note:**

> this was my submission for the [Meowraculous Chat Noir Zine](https://meowraculouschatnoirzine.tumblr.com/) ! check out their blog for other posts with all the amazing work included :)

Today’s akuma had a vendetta against Gabriel Agreste. 

Apparently M. Agreste had seen it fit to fire a company executive this morning. His personal assistant, Nathalie Sancoeur, said the exchange had only lasted sixty seconds — just long enough for M. Agreste to tell the man why he was being fired, give him instructions to clean his office immediately, and hand him back the golden name plate that had already been stripped from his door. Not even ten minutes later, Gabriel’s company building was on complete lockdown while the akuma stalked the halls searching for Gabriel Agreste to get his revenge. 

Chat Noir only knew about it because Nathalie had called him in the middle of class to update him on the situation. So he transformed, called Ladybug, and told her that unfortunately, Gabriel Agreste was going to need some hasty protection detail before this new villain seriously harmed him. 

“We’ve instructed all employees to lock themselves in their offices and take cover,” Nathalie explained to the two superheroes as the elevator halted on the top floor. Ladybug and Chat Noir kept their weapons drawn and eyed the vents and windows while Nathalie led them to Gabriel’s office. “M. Agreste is also remaining in his office, but so far there’s been no sign of the akuma.”

“He’s probably hiding in the building somewhere,” Ladybug frowned. “One of us will go track him down while the other keeps an eye on M. Agreste. I’ll—”

“I’ll watch M. Agreste,” Chat Noir cut in. “You go find the akuma and call me when you find him.”

“Are you sure? He’s not the easiest person to deal with.”

“Trust me, I’m well aware,” Chat Noir chuckled humorlessly. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he stays safe.”

Ladybug squeezed his hand before promising to call him as soon as she found something. Nathalie led Chat Noir into Gabriel’s office and locked the door behind him. It wasn’t often that Gabriel worked in his company office, but judging by the way he was still hunched over his desk without noticing Chat Noir’s entrance probably meant that today was a heavy work day. Chat Noir cleared his throat and waited for Gabriel to boredly look up from his desk and regard him as if he were nothing but an employee. “Ah. Chat Noir. I assumed you would be here soon.”

“The akuma in the building is after you, so I’m here to make sure you stay safe while Ladybug tries to track him down,” Chat Noir explained. 

“I find that highly unnecessary,” Gabriel explained, gesturing to his office. “As you can see, I’m perfectly protected in my office. The commotion might actually allow me to get some work done.”

“With all due respect, M. Agreste,” Chat Noir said sternly, “the last time you said you didn’t need protection you almost jumped off the roof of a building. I think I’ll decide whether you need to be looked after.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him — the same way he tended to do whenever Chat spoke back to him as Adrien and surprised his father into a brief silence — and waved his hand towards the couch resting against the windows. “Then by all means, amuse yourself.”

Chat Noir clicked his staff to shorten it back into a baton and clip it to his belt before he purposefully stepped on the cushions of the couch and sat on the back of it, staring at Gabriel and daring him to say something about it. Gabriel merely rolled his eyes in distaste and returned to his work while Chat Noir kept his ears up and his gaze on the windows.

“How old are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“How old are you?” Gabriel repeated impatiently. “You don’t seem old enough to be disrespecting adults in such a manner.”

“I’m not a child and you’re not an adult,” Chat Noir said. “Right now you’re a civilian and I’m the only person that can keep you safe. I’m asking you to listen to me so that you won’t be injured. And to your question, I’m fifteen.”

Gabriel hummed. “Same age as my son. How fitting. I believe I told you you remind me of him.”

Chat Noir shifted in his seat and remembered their fight with Jackady. “I remember.”

“You’re awfully young to be assuming the role of a superhero with such authority over me. Does your family know what you do?”

Chat Noir snorted and kept his gaze down on his baton, waiting for Ladybug’s call. “It goes against superhero ethics. Didn’t you ever read American comic books?”

Gabriel lifted a brow in amusement. “No. My son does. He’s very passionate about what you do.”

“Is he?” Chat Noir grinned. 

“You and Ladybug were on the news after an attack last week, and he seemed rather excited to show me the footage the news stations were running. But he stormed out the room when I dared suggest I wouldn’t spectate such foolishness. No son of mine would ever masquerade around the city. Not at his age when he was so reckless and irresponsible. I won’t pretend to condone it for anyone else’s child. I assume he got defensive because he greatly respects your efforts.”

“Or maybe he feels like you don’t respect him,” Chat Noir muttered, hoping the bitterness in his voice wasn’t telling. “That you’d stop him from doing something or believing in something that was important.”

“Your job is  _ dangerous _ ,” Gabriel explained, his lips pursing in that patronizing way that made Adrien dread those mornings when he’d meet with his father to discuss all the tutoring sessions he’d missed. “There are other more important things to be doing than risking one’s life.”

“You seem to think that,” Chat Noir scowled. “Others wouldn’t agree.”

“Ah yes. I assume you’re among the  _ others, _ correct?”

“Yes,” Chat Noir stated, hoping his voice would strip all the humor off his father’s tongue. “I find risking my life for the sake of people who need me the most important thing I could be doing. Your son seems to agree. Maybe you should respect that opinion as opposed to chalking it up as some childish delusion.”

In a surprising reaction, Gabriel’s shoulders shook with laughter as he clicked his pen closed and shut the folder of sketches he’d been marking up. “I pity your parents,” he chuckled. “They don’t even know enough to properly worry about you.”

Chat Noir snorted at the irony. “I happen to think that’s a good thing. Would you want to know if I was your son?”

Gabriel pursed his lips and took a few seconds to answer. “I suppose you have a point.”

“Don’t worry about my parents,” Chat Noir replied. “They’re none the wiser and it’s best to just keep it that way.”

Gabriel folded his hands and rested his chin on them. “I have this sense that you don’t particularly like that you’re here watching over me.”

“I never said that,” Chat Noir said quietly. “Value judgements like that aren’t important in situations like this. Your life has value and I’m going to do everything it takes to make sure nothing happens to you. Even if it means getting hurt in the process. Ladybug and I didn’t take our decisions to become heroes lightly, and it just annoys me when people try to suggest that we’re purposefully being reckless. It’s so much more than that.”

There was no replicating the sick moment in his stomach where Ladybug had asked him to forget about saving his father in favor of handling the akuma first. It was logical, and hours later when his heart had calmed, he recognized it for the intelligent decision that it was. But watching the news after the fact and seeing that horrifying moment where his father was only seconds away from pitching himself off a roof before Ladybug’s magic had brought him back to his senses was one that still haunted him. Getting Nathalie’s phone call today made that feeling punch straight through him, and it wasn’t often that running into an akuma fight had ever made him  _ panic _ . 

Gabriel was shaking his head at him, rolling his tongue in his cheek while looking like he was finally struggling with his words. “You shouldn’t have such a burden on your shoulders,” he muttered. “It’s ridiculous to place such a responsibility on a child.”

Chat Noir shrugged. “Maybe. But you have a son. I’m sure he’s worried sick about you and praying that you’ll come home safe when this is all over. If I can help make that happen, then all of this is worth it.”

Gabriel smiled softly and Chat Noir was surprised to see the sincerity reach his eyes and warm his expression in a way he only ever used to see when his mother was still around. “I suppose this is what my son sees in you.”

“Still foolish?” Chat Noir smirked. 

“Atrociously so. But I suppose that’s the appeal despite how much I cannot seem to understand it.”

“I guess that’s the closest thing to a compliment I’ll get from you.”

“Make no mistake, boy,” Gabriel began. “I’m not ungrateful for your services. This city has been turning into a ridiculous circus show since the appearance of this Papillon character and you two have been the only people standing in the way of that reality. But I know there are parents looking up to you both and begging you to value your lives.”

His father wasn’t a man easily bothered. About the only time in recent history that Chat Noir could remember his father looking shaken was the day he burst into his room after that akuma attack and hugged him as if he had only just realized how close he had been to not being able to see his son again. It was brief, as were most of his father’s moments of vulnerability ever since his mother disappeared, but Chat Noir was an expert on picking up on them despite how fleeting they were. This was another one of those moments, as if he were imploring him to do the safe and sane thing and give the responsibility of his miraculous to someone else. How odd that he’d feel so strongly that he’d request it of someone who was essentially a stranger to him. 

Chat Noir swallowed and was about to respond before his baton lit up as a call from Ladybug came in. He gave Gabriel an apologetic look before jumping off the couch and walking towards the windows. “What’s up?”

“ _ I’ve got the akuma cornered in the twelfth floor employee lounge _ ,” Ladybug said, sounding out of breath. “ _ I need you down here right now! _ ”

“Okay,” he said immediately. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” After Chat Noir hung up, he flipped his baton upside down, clipped off the attachment at the very end of it, and tossed it at Gabriel. “Treat that like a panic button. If you press it, I’ll get a signal sent back to my baton so that I know you’re in danger. In the meantime, keep your doors and windows locked, draw those shades, and don’t leave this room under any circumstances. We’ll come for you when the coast is clear.” 

Gabriel stared down at the panic button in his hands and slipped it into his pocket. “I suppose that’s the best option. I’ll need to work on creating a security system for the company building that’s comparable to the one in my own home.”

“I have no doubt you’ll manage it,” Chat Noir chuckled. “I have to go. But please stay safe.”

“Hold on!”

Chat Noir stopped in his tracks and spun around to watch Gabriel standing up from his desk chair and bracing his hands on his desk. “Thank you,” he said. “As I said. I appreciate all you do for this city and for myself.” He paused, swallowed a lump in his throat, and sighed. “Just make sure you come home to your father at the end of the day.”

His last words were almost whispered, as if he were reluctant to even say them. But they permeated through the room and left an ache in Chat Noir’s chest that made him set his jaw and nod with strength. “I promise.”

Chat Noir kept his eyes in Gabriel as he slipped from the office, his ring feeling heavy in his hands, and raced downstairs before locking the door behind him. 


End file.
